Public urged to avoid water at Keehi Lagoon after sewage spill

The Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) is advising the public to stay out of the water at Keehi Lagoon Beach Park because of contamination from sewage.

Warning signs are being posted today by the City & County of Honolulu (CCH) and water samples taken by DOH and CCH are being tested.

On January 8, DOH officials responded to a report of an unknown discharge occurring within a drainage channel along Nimitz Highway. In coordination with the Department of Transportation (DOT), the source of the discharge was found to be a damaged 10" gravity sewer main which was spilling into a DOT storm drain. The City and County of Honolulu was immediately notified, responded to the sewage spill, and patched the break. CCH reported the discharge of sewage ended at approximately 7:30 p.m. on January 8.

The total volume of raw sewage discharged at Keehi Lagoon near the Keehi Lagoon Beach Park is unknown at this time.